Fence-picket.



No. 874,420. I PATENTED'DEO. 24, 1907-.

. D. B. MoKBNZIE.

- FENCE PIOKB'T.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 5, 1907.

THE NORRIS PETERS co wAsmucmn, n o.

DANIEL BENIAMINE MCKENZIE, OF ELKI'IORN, WEST VIRGINIA.

FENGE-PICKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907'.

Application filed July 5.1907 Serial No. 382,215.

.T 0 all whom it "may concern.

Be it known that I, DANIEL BENJAMINE McKENZIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhorn, in the county of Mel)owell and State of est Virginia, have mvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Pickets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in fence pickets and consists in the novel construction and the combination of parts here inafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a strong, durable and comparatively inexpensive fence picket, which may be constructed of sheet metal in such manner that it may be readily applied to and removed from thefence wires.

The above and other objects are attained in the preferred. embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a picket fence illustrating the use of my improved fence pickets; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the pickets showing the upper fence wire removed and the lower fence wire held in position by one of the locking wedges; Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal and transverse sectional views taken on the planes indicated by the lines 3, 3 and a, a respectively in Fig.

In the drawings 1 and 2 lower fence wires which are stretched in the usual manner between posts or other supports and are connected by my improved pickets 3. Each of the latter is preferably constructed of a single piece of sheet metal which is cut and bent into the form shown in the drawing. The body of the picket is prefcrably tapered from its bottom to its top and it is curved transversely so as to be almost semi-circular in cross section. The top of the picket has a rounded end or point i and upon the center of its square bottom 5 is formed a depending projection or car 6 the purpose of which will be presently explained. In the vertical edges of the concave picket body are formed at opposite points curved or arc-shaped slots 7 which extend. inwardly from said edges and then downwardly and terminate in outwardly curved enlargements or seats 8.

denote upper and i l 1 l The fence wires 1, 2 are adapted to enter the transversely alined slots or openings 7 and to be retained in their seats 8 by convex wedges 9 which are also preferably constructed of sheet metal, as shown. These wedges are curved transversely and taper toward their lower ends so that they may be readily inserted between the wires and the concave face or side of the picket with their convex sides outermost so that when they are driven downwardly the fence wires will be slightly stretched, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 4. The wedges therefor serve both to secure the picket to the wires and to stretch the latter. Owing to the peculiar shape of the wire receiving slots or openings the wires will be effectively retained in them until the wedges are removed from the picket.

It will be understood that any number of pairs of the wire receiving slots 7 may be provided in the edges of the picket so that the latler may be secured to any number of fence ires.

If desired the pickets may be united. by a bottom board. or rail which is secured to the projections 6 on the bottom of the pickets by r'lriving nails or other fastenings through apertures 10 formed in said projections. I also preferably provide similar apertures 11 adjacent to the upper ends of the posts so that hen it is desired. to ship a number of pickets they may be nested together and effectively secured by wires passed through the alining apertures 10, 1 1, as will be readily understood From the foregoing it ill be seen that my improved picket will be exceedingly economical in use since it may be produced at a small cost and will be exceedingly strong and durable. By the use of ordinary care and a coating of paint when needed it will last indefinitely. The provision of the wire receiving grooves in its edges and the looking wedges enables the picket to be quickly applied to or removed from the fence wires.

Having thus described my invention what Iclaimis:

The combination with the parallel fence wires of a picket for uniting said. wires and spacing them apart, said picket being formed from a piece of sheet metal tapered from its bottom to' its top and curved transversely into concavo convex form, the edges of the picket being formed at opposite points with the downwardly and inwardly curved T grooves 7 having the enlargements or seats 8 1 at their lower ends to receive the fence wires, the square bottom of the picket being formed f at its center with the depending ear 6, said i picket being also formed ith the aperture 10 formed. in the depending ear and the ap- 1 erture 11 formed adjacent to the upper end i of the picket, and the concav0-convex sheet metal wedges inserted between the concave side of the picket and said wires with their l l l convex sides engaged with the Wires whereby the latter will be simultaneously stretched and. retained in said seats, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL BENJ A MINE )lUKllNZll'l.

Witnesses:

W. W. W001), A. E; DOYLEv 

